Artist and designer's muse Richard Giglio dies at 81

Artist and designer's muse Richard Giglio dies at 81

Oct 2, 2015

Prominent New York artist Richard Giglio passed away on September 18. Giglio, who was homebound for the last year with pulmonary fibrosis and several cases of pneumonia, died in hospice care at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, his friend and caretaker Raymond Diskin Black announced in a Facebook post.

Giglio in his studio; courtesy Artandinteriorsblog.net

Giglio was raised in New Rochelle, New York, and studied at Pratt Institute. Early in his career he served as assistant to Gene Moore, display director at Tiffany & Co. and Bonwit Teller. Giglio created art for Bonwit Teller's windows in addition to artwork for Bloomingdale's and Tiffany & Co., and later in his career worked with Henri Bendel, Donghia and 7th on Sixth.

His work encompasses impressionism, collage, masks, totems, letters and other pieces and influences, and notable collectors include Calvin Klein, Bruce Weber, Ron Perlman and Jeff Klein, among others.

"Like his life here in New York, Richard’s work embodied a colorful, energetic, and ebullient dynamic. His collages were a collection of his thoughts, ideas, and vision—always at full gallop, no matter the venue," shares John Boone of John Boone, a showroom that represents Giglio's artwork. "He leaves us with an expansive body of work and long life’s effort…from his retail merchandising displays, his print ad campaigns, textile designs, and of course, his collages and mixed media creations. With his devilish side-glance and raised eyebrow, you knew the gears were always spinning like crazy inside that brilliant mind of his…ready with a quick comeback and sometimes a deliciously irreverent observation. My partner, Chris Lockwood, and I have always been proud champions of Richard’s creations and his point of view, and truly grateful for our connection to such a fine, creative spirit."

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